Migration Summit in Szeged: Hungary Defends Borders, Ensures Regional Security

Published: November 28 2023

Hungary recently hosted a Migration Summit in Szeged, where the country's Interior Minister, Sándor Pintér, emphasized the importance of protecting external borders for the security of not only Hungary but also other EU countries. The summit involved discussions on Hungary's efforts in border protection and international cooperation in addressing illegal migration. This blog post provides an overview of the key points discussed during the summit.

Interior Minister Sándor Pintér highlighted that Hungary's actions in protecting its external borders ensure regional security and prevent crimes committed by "uninvited guests." By effectively tackling illegal migration, Hungary aims to provide adequate public security for the region. The minister expressed confidence in reaching a consensus agreement with the participating countries.

Vít Rakusan, the Interior Minister of the Czech Republic, emphasized the need for joint action in addressing migration challenges. He acknowledged that migration poses a serious challenge for all countries and underscored the importance of cooperation among law enforcement agencies. Rakusan also mentioned that the Czech police have been involved in border protection since 2015 and will continue providing assistance until 2024.

Vít Rakusan further stated that internal border controls are not the ideal solution. Instead, the key to ensuring security for countries and their populations lies in protecting external borders. While acknowledging the need for a common European solution, Rakusan highlighted the difficulty in finding a compromise.

German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, emphasized the necessity of joint action against people smuggling. She mentioned that several member states have implemented internal border controls in response to increased secondary migration. However, all member states desire open borders within the European Union. Faeser stressed the importance of combating people smuggling and expressed the need for cooperation among countries.

Austria's Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, highlighted the significance of coordinated responses to illegal migration and strengthening the protection of external borders. The minister praised the effective collaboration between Austrian, Czech, and Slovak police officers in border protection during their visit to Hungary. Cooperation against people smuggling and organized crime was deemed crucial, with Karner emphasizing the need to target both low-level players and the major organizers of criminal organizations.

The Migration Summit in Szeged provided a platform for discussions on the importance of protecting external borders and ensuring regional security. Participating countries emphasized the need for joint action against migration challenges, including people smuggling and organized crime. The summit highlighted the commitment of EU nations to preserve the Schengen area and find effective solutions to address migration issues.

What was discussed at the Migration Summit in Szeged? The Migration Summit in Szeged discussed the efforts of Hungary and other Visegrad Four countries (Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, Poland) to protect their external borders, the need for regional security, and the importance of cooperation in addressing illegal migration.

Why did Hungary defend its external borders? Hungary defended its external borders to safeguard its own public order and security as well as that of other EU countries. They aimed to ensure adequate public security in the region and prevent crimes committed by unauthorized individuals.

Who participated in the Migration Summit in Szeged? The Migration Summit in Szeged was attended by the interior ministers of the Visegrad Four countries (Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, Poland), as well as the interior ministers of Germany and Austria.

What did the Czech Republic's Interior Minister emphasize during the summit? The Czech Republic's Interior Minister emphasized the seriousness of migration as a challenge for all countries and the need for joint action. He highlighted the ongoing cooperation with third countries to address illegal migration and the importance of protecting external borders.

What was the stance of the German Interior Minister on internal border controls? The German Interior Minister stated that internal border controls were not the right solution and that open borders within the European Union were desired. She emphasized the need for joint action against people smuggling.

How does Austria's Interior Minister view the protection of external borders? Austria's Interior Minister stressed the importance of a coordinated response to illegal migration and the strengthening of external border protection. He highlighted effective collaboration between Austrian, Czech, and Slovak police officers in protecting the external border and the need to combat people smuggling and organized crime.

What did the Slovak Interior Minister mention regarding external border protection? The Slovak Interior Minister expressed readiness to help protect the external borders. He acknowledged the favorable situation due to weather and the actions of Serbian authorities but emphasized the need to prepare for increased migratory pressure in the spring.

What did the Polish deputy interior minister emphasize about the Schengen area? The Polish deputy interior minister emphasized the importance of protecting external borders and conducting an effective and coordinated fight against people smuggling and organized crime groups. He highlighted the Schengen area as a fundamental value of the European Union that must be preserved.

What solution did the Czech Republic's Interior Minister suggest for migration challenges? The Czech Republic's Interior Minister suggested that a common European solution is needed for migration challenges, although finding a compromise may not be easy.